Sidhu in hot water again after bringing Pakistani ‘gift’ home

A complaint filed against ex-cricket star after he brought a stuffed bird without fulfilling requirement. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

A complaint has been filed against former Indian star cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu after he brought home a stuffed black partridge, gifted during his Pakistan visit, without obtaining the required permit from authorities.

Sandeep Jain, an animal activist, has filed a complaint demanding a probe into how the black partridge was brought from Pakistan and kept in India by Sidhu for so long, NDTV reported.

According to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), it is illegal to keep a bird or an animal without permission and this rule also applies on animal body parts, ANI, another Indian news agency, reported on Friday.

The bird was reportedly gifted to Indian Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh by Sidhu.

“I got to know through newspapers that Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu brought a stuffed Black Partridge from Pakistan and gifted it to Punjab CM. This is in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972,” WCCB volunteer Sandeep Jain said.

“I have registered a complaint with Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, New Delhi demanding a probe on how the Black Partridge was brought from Pakistan and kept in Punjab for so long. It’s illegal to keep an animal or a bird or their body parts without any permission,” he added.